Method and apparatus for producing fibers



Dec. 4, 1951 G, s, MOELROY 2,577,204-

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2SHEETSSHEET 1 I5 I :E I E l 34- $=3E l3 as 35 3 9 v 29 E P H: L '8 3 7K; 30 ,II B

IIIIIIII/Il/M INII/ENTOR. George S.1ZE,Zre

Dec. 4, 1951 G. s. M ELRY 2,577,204

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2SI'lEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

Ge etge S. M lzlray ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UN I TED STAT E SPATENT O F F ICE METHOIJAND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS George- S.McElroy; Granville; (iliiogassignor to- Owens-CorningFiberglasCorporation} a cor- Y poration of Delaware Application January11, 1949 ,,Serial No. 70,561

11 Claims.

of centrifugal force into the path of a' blast of" gas moving at avelocity sufficient to" attenuate the heatsoftened' material into finefibers;

Another object of thisdnverition is to direct the blast of gas-'in thegene'ra'l direc't ioiroi fiew' ofheat softened material leavingtheperipheral edge" of the rotor and at a-sunicient-angleto theplaneo'r" rotation-of therotorte cause the 'b'last of gas to engage theheat softene'd glasejiist 'asit is released from the" peripheral ed g'e'ef 'tha rotor. The arrangement is: such that the blast of gas' appliesa: radial for'ee component glass of sufficient magnitude" to continu'eatt'eriua tion of the glass in a generally-radially cut warddirectionand prevent the glass from flow ing or falling back as it movesbeyondthe" in x fluence of the'centrifugal force; the heat softened. glassdischarged from the periphery of the rotor is maintained within theattenuating zone of the blast,. and is effectively drawn-out from therotor into fibers.

Still anotherobject of this invention issto provide apparatus whereir'rthe:attenuatingblast of gas is supplied by a: plurality ofshigh velocityburners of the internal combustion:typeiarranged in: two annular groupsrespectively located: above and below the rotor;

Ward the peripheral edge of the rotor in aJgJenierally" radially outwarddirection'trom' thetaxisi' of the rotor and the burnersforming'thebotteinr; group are supported to; direct their respectiveblasts of gas toward the peripheral edge-of the" rotor also in' a"generally radially outw'ar d'; die

rection. 7 As aresult the-blasts ofgas fif'olmzfihels bottom groupofburnersact to 'pr'eventthe heat softened glass or material leavingitherotor: from dropping under the? infieunce of gravity and; int

addition cooperate with the blasts of gas issu ing from the burners inthe top group: to": at-

the?

The .burnersi of; the?v top-.- group' are supported to directlolaststofigasi te tenuate the heat softened material-ioriglassiintofibersz It isilalso importantito note thatithe 2 blasts apply'theattenuatingforce-to the-glass at about the same time theglass movesbeyond the influence of the centrifugal force so that the" glasscontinues to travel outwardly fromthe rotorperiphery: I

A- further object of this invention is to pro-- vide an arrangement ofthe above-general type" wherein the burners in the top groupare-staggered with" respect to -the burners i'n thehottom groupin amanner to provide a substantially ring-shaped blast of gasmovinggenerallyra' dially'outwardl'y from the peripheral edge of the rotor;Also, with the above arrangement, an undulating'motionis applied to theglass leavingtheperiphery of the rotor and this action tends to increasethe attenuating force; because greater lengths of the glass arepresented to theforce of the blasts;

A still further object of this invention is: to provide a constructionwherein the material de posited on theperipheral-portion of the-rotor isheated or maintained at the desired attenuating temperature byradiant-type combustion burners supported at opposite sides of the rotorand. al

ternating with the high velocity burnersh The foregoing as well as otherobjectsi will be made more apparent as this description proweds-especially whenconsidered in connection:

with the accompanying: drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a semi diagrammatic vertical sectional view throughtheapparatus embodying the:

features of this: invention;

Figure 2 is a plan: view' of the construction; shown inFigure 1;.

Figure 3 is a. bottom elevationalview of the construction shown inFigure 1; 1

Figure 4 is: a fragmentary elevational viewof? a part of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional: view through one of the highvelocity burners;-

Fig-ures 6- to 8 inclusive-are respectively-freeze mentary sectionalviews showing different types:-

ot rotors; and

Figure 9 is a-fragmentary plan view showing;

another'modifiedform of the invention.

Itwill'be apparent as this description proceeds;

that the present invention may be successfully-= employed in themanufacture offibers from vari;-*

ous typesof inorganic or synthetic: materials; which may be drawn outinto fine fibers: when ina softenedcondition. However, the invention.

has been developed for the particular;purpose-of" manufacturing glassfibers, and accordingly ,1 the; apparatus is described: below inconnection: with the usejofl glass asth'e fiber forming materialiReferring;'nowi'more-ain detailrto'tthe structure.

shown in the drawings, it will be noted that the reference numeral ldesignates a rotor supported for rotation about a vertical axis andhaving a centrally disposed hub l l secured to the bottom of a tubularvertical shaft [2. The shaft I2 is journaled in bearings 13 spaced fromeach other and secured in a fixed port 14. The shaft I2 is rotated by aprime mover such for example as an electric motor l5 having a driveshaft l6 operatively connected to the upper end of the shaft 12 throughthe medium of a belt 11.

Supported at each side of the plane of rotation of the rotor H] is agroup of high velocity burners of the internal combustion type and theseburners are arranged in concentric relation to the axis of rotation ofthe rotor. The group of high velocity burners at the top of the rotor idesignated generally by the numeral l8 and the group of high velocityburners at the bottom of the rotor is indicated generally by the numeralIS. The burners in both groups are identical in construction and adescription of one will suffice for all. As shown in Figure 5 of thedrawings, each burner comprises a combustion chamber 28 having hightemperature resistant refractory walls 2| and having a metal casing 22surrounding the walls 2|. The metal casing 22 has a part 23 at the innerend of the combustion chamber which is fashioned to provide a gas inletchamber 24. The gas inlet chamber is separated from the combustionchamber by a wall 25 having a multiplicity of passages 26 through whichfuel gas mixture flows into the combustion chamber from the inletchamber 24. The outer end of the combustion chamber in each burner isformed with a restricted outlet opening 2! through which the products ofcombustion taking place within the chamber 20 escape into the atmospherein the form of an intensely hot high velocity blast B to be more fullyhereinafter described.

A combustible mixture of gases is simultaneously supplied to each of theinlet chambers 25 of the top group of burners it by an annular manifold28 supported in concentric relation to the rotor shaft l2 above therotor and respectively connected to the inlet chambers 24 throughconduits 29-. The desired combustible mixture of gases is supplied tothe manifold 28 through the medium of a conduit 30 which extends from asourceof supply to themanifold 28.

A second manifold 3| is located directly below the rotor and isconnected to the inlet chambers 24 of each of the burners in the group19 through conduits 32. The desired combustible mixture of gases issupplied to the manifold 3| by a conduit 33 which'extends coaxiallythrough the tubular rotor shaft l2 and is connected at the upper end tothe source of supply.

It will also be noted from Figure 1 of the drawings that a feeder ortank 34 is suitably supported directly above the rotor and is adapted tocontain a supply of molten or heat softened glass. The feeder 34 has anoutlet opening 35 in the bottom wall through which molten glas flows ina downward direction in the form of a stream 36 and the feeder is sopositioned with respect to the rotor that the stream of glass 36 isdeposited on the rotor adjacent, the periphery of the latter.The'peripheral edge portion of the rotor is heated by two groups ofradiant-type burners respectively indicated by the reference characters31 and 38. The burners 31 are respectively arranged between the adjacenthigh velocity burners in the group I8 and theburners 38 are respectivelypositioned between thehigh velocity burners in the and reduce the glassto fine fibers.

group IS. The burners 3'! are connected to the manifold 28 by conduits39 and the burners 38 are connected to the manifold 3| by conduits 40-.A a result, a combustible mixture of gases from the same sourcesupplying the high velocity burners in the groups 18 and I9 isv suppliedto the two groups of radiant burners 37 and 38. The burners 37 arepositioned to direct their respective flames downwardly against the topsurface of the peripheral edge of the rotor Ill and the burners 38 arelocated to direct their respective fiames against the bottom surface ofthe peripheral edge of the rotor. The purpose of these burners is tomaintain the glass deposited on the top surface of the rotor in a moltenor heat softened condition, or in other words to maintain the glass atsuch a viscosity that it will flow in aradially outward direction alongthe rotor under the influence of centrifugal force obtained by rotatingthe rotor. The speed of rotation of the rotor I0 about the axis of theshaft I2 depend to a great extent on the viscosity of the glassdeposited on the peripheral edge portion of the rotor and is sufficientto provide the centrifugal force required to flow the glass radiallyoutwardly from the P p e y of the rotor.

Referring again to Figure l of the drawings, it will be noted that theburners in the two groups It and !9 are so positioned with respect tothe plane of rotation of the rotor l0 that the blasts B issuing from theoutlet openings 21 in the burners intersect the plane of rotation of therotor immediately beyond the peripheral edge of the rotor and alsotravel in a generally radially outward direction with respect to theaxis of rotation of the rotor. The arrangement is such that the blastsapply a resultant radially outwardly extending force on the glass as itleaves the periphery of the rotor and this force maintains the generalradial orientation of the glass after the glass travels beyond theinfluence of the centrifugal force. Thus the blasts B cooperate tocontinue the drawing out process of the glass It is also important tonote that the blasts B issuing from the burners in the group l9 serve tosupport the glass as it leaves the peripheral edge of the rotor andprevents the glass from dropping under the action of gravity.

The high velocity burners in the group I8 are shown herein as staggeredwith respect to the corresponding burners in the group I9 so that theblasts B issuing from the respective burners cooperate to form asubstantially continuous annular blast around the periphery of therotor. However, it will be understood that the burners in the two groupsmay be positioned in direct vertical alignment so that the blasts fromthe burners in the top group impinge against the blasts from the burnersin the bottom group. In the event such a construction is provided theburners in the two groups are arranged so that the blasts impingedirectly beyond the peripheral edge of the rotor and coact to attenuatethe glass leaving the rotor into fine fibers. In cases where the burnersin the two groups are staggered with respect to one another anundulating motion is applied to the glass leaving the periphery of therotor. This whipping action presents greater lengths of the glass to theforce of the blasts and aids materially in drawing out the glass to formvery fine fibers.

It follows from the above that regardless of the particular arrangementof the burners in the two groups l8 and I9 the blasts B issuing from theaun 2042 outlet? openings 2-15 on: the: burnersl=- cooperate? to? applygenerally radially outwardi force com ponents: on the glasszv a's. it?leaves the periphery ointhe: rotor andebeio're' the glass has an oppor-'tunityztorcooh to any appreciable extent; The velocity of thblasts B"orthe radial force com ponent of 1 theserblasts: is s'ufiicientlyhighto' at'-=' tenuatei thefheat softenedz glassi into'fine fibe'rsImorder tdobtain blasts B'ha'ving the required characteristics, the sizeof the outlet I opening 21 istsopi'oportionedfwith respect to'thequantity of gasi- -burnedwithini the combustion chambers '9 that th'eproducts o'fcombustion are-- forced throughithe out1et openings 21 in-the mm of blaj'sts havingia temperature which exceeds the softening:tem'pe'r'aft'ure' o'f' glass and having a velocitytsu-fiicient to" draw:out-the softened glass fibers. In practice it' is poss-ibleto so proportion the? size of the burner outlet openings with respect to thecombustidn' chambers that'the blasts: of gases: issuing fron i theoutlet openings have a'itemperature as high or higher than 3009" and: avelocit'y as high or higher than 1*,200' feet pen'second. It will,- ofcourse, be under-- stood? that the temperature and velocity of 5 theburnedgases issuing from the burners may be proportionately variedby'changingthe size of the outletopenings 21 'with respect to the volumeof the;combustion chambers zoiv -Alsoin praeticezvarious difi'e'renttypes of combustible -g'a's may be :used to obtain the blasts Bbutforreasons oi eoonomy it preferred to'use amardinar ruergas; such as"natural'or mamifaetured fuel gas.- The fuel gas employed is niixjed withthe p'roper amount of air by means of orthodox air 11 and gas mixers notshown herein. Thef 'g'fiis and a'ii'"miktiire is "taken from the mixerat moderate-pressures 1 ofapproximately' one to fi Ve-ipoiinds persquare inch but'may' be considerably higher if desired. Thismixture'issup- A plied to the manifolds 28" and 31 the manner previouslydescribed and" is" burned' substantially entirely within" the combustionchambers 255i Asaresmt; a -very; high rateof expansion'tak'esplace'with'in the*'chambers'- 20'and the walls of the chambersbecomeeiitremely hot; so that therate (ifcombustionacti-ially'ex'ce'edsthe rat'e offiame propagation of the combustibl emixture of gases ifi'lthe' atmospheret I Although the burners 31 and asare; supplied with the-same combustible gas, nevertheless the outletopenings in" tnese'burhers are" relatively iar'ge m" comparison to thevolume of the burner chambers so that the velocity of the burninggja'ses' directed'toward' the rotoris relatively low., In o't e1" words;the"purp'o'se of the' burners 31 and. 3j8"is"'mere ly.'to maintain theglass'in such a fluid stat'thaf it will' tflbvv radially outwardlyu'hfdeftheihfluenc'e of the centrifugal force. In thisconnection",attfitidiiis called 126 the fa'ct that the stream efiofgla's's isdeposited on the rotor llfa'tionefor more points adjacent the peripheraledgeiportion of'the latter which isdirectly heated? byi'the radiantb'urners'; As a result,- any" tendency; for the. glass. to 0001 as-itflows alongtlfe rotor is avoided and'lth'e glass is maintained at: a.more uniform viscosity. 7 -I nasmuch: as thestream 36 of-'molten-glass-is depositedon the rotor adjacent theperiphery of the latter there is atendency 'for the lower portion -ofthe stream to move in the directionof thesrotor; This may be counteracted by directingea blast .ofgas'againstthe lower portion of the streamfieit contacts- 'the rotori VI n Fig ure 4;-

- a s-asst IIFSOmi instances it may be advantageous: separate theheat-softened glass into a-multiplicity" of streams f as the:glass-leaves the periph er'al 'edge of the rotor This is accomplishedini-Fligiure' fiof the 'drawings'by forming tin-up standing-mange 46 a'tthe periphery: of J the roto and byfserratingi the top edge: of theflange for-rm a:- plui ality' of circumferentially space sroove'sf dhThus as-the heat softened glass flows:

) radiallyoutwardly ove'r theserr-atededge oi the fiange 46 under theinfluence :of centrifugal forceit i's divided intol. a multiplicity Of-Streams 48.

These streams are immediately subjected to the action oi the hi'ghvelocity: blasts]; and are aw Figures 1 6 to 8 5 inclusive showdifferent types:- of rotor constructions designed to separate the heatsoftened gla'ss into individual streams. In Fi'g are 7 the periphery--of therotoris formed witha ser'i'es' of general!y radially outwardlyextending teeth '9: In Fig ure 8 the-peripheral edgeofthe" rotor sflaredupwardly slightly and is 'serrat'e'd} tc form points 58. Thisarrangement a1so serves to divide F the glass} into individual streams;

If desired; th'e' burners in one orboth-groups may be oriente'd t'o'discharge their respective blasts 0f" gas at a slight angle totheperiphery! of 'the ro'tor; as shown-diagrammatically in Figure Q ofthedrawings The' a'ngle isdete'rmin'edt'o direct the blasts issuing fromthe burners in" the direction of rotation -of the rot'orso the" force ofthe? blasts counter'act any tendency for the glass} leaving '7 theperiphe'ral e'dg'e ofthe rotor to "fall back and: Wrap' 'a'rouI- 'd therotor: Otherwise the"- v constructionshown in Figur'e 9 is' the -sameasthe' first described form of the invention, and the sanief referencenumeralsare used to designate corresponding: arts;-

Although particular stress has been placed above on the use of a blastof gas 7 composed sub st'antially entirely of products ofcombustion forattenuating the-glass leaving the periphery of the rotor} it should beunderstood that blasts of I practically" any gas having the required- 1heat and Velocity" (5ha' r'a'atlfi'stic's may be used; .1 01 63k lasts:of steam or superh'eated airmayr aiso ser e the' purpose re airedL l claimz 1% Apparatus for producing glassfibers' coin-'- pri'sin'g a rotorsupported." for rotationabout a substantially vertical axis, a series ofburners supported at'opposite sides of the plane'of rotation-ofthe rotorfor'directing hot high velocity? blasts of gases'toward the peripheraledge'of'the" rotorand ina direction extending substantially? radiallyoutwardly from the peripheral edge of the rotor; means" for depositingheat softened glass onthe topsurfa ce' of the rotor, a series of'burners for heating'the peri heral edg'e'of said' rotonlmeans. forrotating the rotor at a speed determined to. provide the centrifugalforce re" quired'it'o flow the heat softened glass-in a generallyradially outward direction over the top surface oftherotor and into theblast of gas, a dmeans atthe peripheral edge of said rotor forseparatingthe heat softened glass into a multiplicityof individualstreams.

2 .-';Apparatusfor producing glass fibers comprising? a rotor supportedforrotation about-a eteedr w n aburnem m l c h b e sv 9*; ub an ellw ?be1- eew 0 bu s softened glass on the heated peripheral edge portion ofthe rotor, and means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined toprovide the centrifugal force required to flow the heat softened glassin a generally radially outward direction over the heated top surface ofthe rotor and into the high velocity blast of gas.

3. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported forrotation about a substantially vertical axis, an annular series ofindividual burners having combustion chambers within which a combustiblemixture ofgases is burned and having outlet openings so proportionedwith respect to the quantity of gases burned in the chambers that theburned gases are forced from the chambers in the form of blasts having avelocity sufiicient to attenuate heat softened glass into fibers, meanssupporting the burners at one side of the rotor in positions to directthe blasts in a generally radially outward direction from the peripheraledge of the rotor, a complementary series of burners disposed on theopposite side of said rotor for directing a corresponding attenuatingblast in the direction of said first named blast, means for depositingheat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, and means forrotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugalforce required to fiow the heat softened glass in a generally radiallyoutward direction over the top surface of the rotor and into thecombined blasts of gas.

4.-Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported forrotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositinheatrsoftened glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotatingthe rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal forcerequired to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outwarddirection over the top surface of the rotor, an annular series ofburners supported at one side of the plane of rotation of the rotor inpositions to heat the glass as it flows radially outwardly along-the topsurface of the rotor,- and an annular series of burners supported at theopposite side of the plane of rotation of the rotor in positions todirect blasts of extremely hot gas toward the peripheral edge of therotor and in a generally radially outward direction to attenuate theheat softened glass leaving the peripheral edge of the rotor to formfibers.

5. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported forrotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositing aheat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotatingthe rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal forcerequired to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outwarddirection over the top surface of the rotor, two series of burnerssupported at opposite sides of the plane of rotation of the rotor inpositions to direct blasts of gas toward the peripheral edge of therotor and in directions extending generally radially outwardly from therotor, and burners interposed between adjacent burners in both the abovementioned series and positioned to heat the peripheral edgeportion ofthe rotor;

6. Apparatus for producing fibers comprising a rotor supported forrotation about a substan-- tially vertical axis, means for continuouslydepositing a heat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, meansfor heating the glass at the edge portion of the rotor, means forrotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugalforce required to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radiallyoutward direction over the top surface of the rotor, and two annularseries of burners supported at opposite sides of the plane of rotationof the rotor with the burners in oneseries staggered with respect to theburners in the other series, said burners. being positioned to directintensely hot high velocity blasts toward the peripheral edge of therotor and in directions extending generally radially outwardly fromtherotor.

'7. Apparatus for producing fibers comprising a rotor supported forrotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositing aheat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotatingthe rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal forcerequired to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outwarddirection over the top surface of the rotor, two annular series ofburners supported at opposite sides of the planeof rotation of the rotorwith the burners in one series staggered with respect to the burners inthe other series, said burners being positioned to direct intensely hothigh velocity blasts toward the peripheral edge of the rotor and indirections extending generally radially outwardly from the rotor, andadditional burners supported between.

adjacent burners in each of the above series and positioned to heat theperipheral edge portion of the rotor. V

8. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported forrotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for continuouslydepositing a stream of glass on the top surface of the rotor, means forheating the peripheral portion of said rotor, means for rotating therotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required toflow the glass in a general radially outward direction along the topsurface of the rotor, and means for directing a. high velocity blast ofgas against the stream in the region of contact of the stream with therotor and in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of therotor.

9. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported forrotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositing astream of glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotating therotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required toflow the glass in a generally radially outward direction along the topsurface of the rotor,.

means for directing a high velocity blast of gas against the stream inthe region of contact of the stream with the rotor and in a directionopposite the direction of rotation of the rotor; and means for directingan additional blast of high velocity as in a direction extendingsubstantially radially outwardly from the periphery of the rotor toattenuate the heat softened glass leaving the peripheral edge of therotor.

10. The process of producing glass fibers which comprises continuouslydepositing a body of heat softened glass on the periphery of a rotatingmember, -heating the glass on' said member and drawing out the glass inagenerally-radially out- Ward direction by centrifugal force, andcontinuing the drawing out process in a radially outward direction asthe glass travels beyond the influence of the centrifugal force byintroducing the glass between blasts of gas having the temperatureexceeding the softening point of glass and having a velocity high enoughto attenuate the glass to form fibers.

11. The process of producing glass fibers which comprises continuouslydepositing a body of heat softened glass on the periphery of a rotatingmember, heating the glass on said member and flowing the softened glassin a generally radially outward direction to draw out the glass by theaction of centrifugal force, and continuing the drawing out process asthe glass travels beyond the influence of centrifugal force byprogressively introducing the glass leaving the periphery of the rotorinto alternate blasts of gas moving up- 10 wardly and downwardly withrespect to the plane of rotation of the rotor in a generally radiallyoutward direction from the periphery of the rotor.

GEORGE S. MCELROY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,238,204 Woods Apr. 15, 19412,450,363 Slayter et a1. Sept. 28, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 215,101 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1941 72,087 Norway May 12, 1947

1. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GLASS FIBERS COMPRISING A ROTOR SUPPORTED FORROTATION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS, A SERIES OF BURNERSSUPPORTED AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF THE ROTOR FORDIRECTING HOT HIGH VELOCITY BLASTS OF GASES TOWARD THE PERIPHERAL EDGEOF THE ROTOR AND IN A DIRECTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLYOUTWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF THE ROTOR, MEANS FOR DEPOSITINGHEAT SOFTENED GLASS ON THE TOP SURFACE OF THE ROTOR, A SERIES OF BURNERSFOR HEATING THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID ROTOR, MEANS FOR ROTATING THEROTOR AT A SPEED DETERMINED TO PROVIDE THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE REQUIRED TOFLOW THE HEAT SOFTENED GLASS IN A GENERALLY RADIALLY OUTWARD DIRECTIONOVER THE TOP SURFACE OF THE ROTOR AND INTO THE BLAST OF GAS, AND MEANSAT THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID ROTOR FOR SEPARATING THE HEAT SOFTENEDGLASS INTO A MULTIPLICITY OF INDIVIDUAL STREAMS.